


And A Sweet Coffee To Go

by soulioli



Series: Shuann Week 2019! [5]
Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Day 3: Coffee, F/M, Flirting, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, I had too much fun with this, Light Angst, Matchmaking, Mutual Pining, ShuAnn Week 2019, ShuAnn Week 2k19, also i explored ann a bit more, but i mean you have to REALLY squint y'know, coffee shop AU, futaba coerces everyone into a bet about ann's love life: the fanfic, like i mean blunt blunt. like "listen here ho" blunt, shiho's blunt af, there's very very slight haruji if you squint
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-03
Updated: 2019-07-03
Packaged: 2020-06-03 05:57:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19457791
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soulioli/pseuds/soulioli
Summary: Ann's friends just can't seem to stay off of the topic of her love life. When they notice she gets interested in a certain barista, Ann finds herself in the middle of a situation she wasn't planning on facing quite so soon.(Written for Shuann Week Day 3: Coffee)





	And A Sweet Coffee To Go

Leblanc was Ann’s favorite hangout spot. 

Not just because she knew the owner, or because it had become quite spacious and occupied after she had brought her friends to the shop and they’d mentioned it in interviews, which made it feel like her own little spot…. It wasn’t any of that. Rather, it was something in the atmosphere.

The scent of coffee drifting through the shop was enough to relax any customer as soon as they walked in, and, provided that they weren’t sensitive, the gradual shift from “cold” to “warm, grouchy dad figure” that the owner’s attitude you underwent provided a nice feeling of familial warmth to the establishment. 

Ann needed that after a long day, or after a stressful morning. 

Luckily, neither of the above had occurred today, and she was here for a meetup with her three closest friends. Well, she didn’t count Shiho in that, but she held a special place too. Dressed in a pair of jean shorts, boots, and a green shirt that clung to her a little more than she’d have liked, she stepped inside, visibly relaxing upon feeling the atmosphere of the shop wash over her. 

“Ann!” 

Her name came from the corner of the store as soon as she walked in, prompting her to glance over. None other than Futaba was running out her, causing her to open her arms. The young, orange-haired girl barreled into them, clutching onto Ann. She giggled, squeezing her back. 

Futaba Sakura was… well, a character and a half, to say the least. The young girl was just wrapping up her first year of college, which had been entertaining to hear about. Though she wasn’t exactly the most outspoken or socially smart, she did have a tendency to say what she thought, which was something Ann found herself drawn to. She wouldn’t have normally reached out to Futaba - well, she would have, if Futaba were in the same year as her - but thanks to Leblanc, they were as thick as thieves. 

“How have you been?” She said, breaking her embrace from Futaba to hold her at elbow’s length. She definitely wasn’t as thin as she had once been, which was good, and her figure was slowly filling out. Her long, orange bangs spilled downward and tickled her arms, and she had the rest of it pulled into a bun. 

She pouted. “You saw me like, two weeks ago.”   
  
Ann rolled her eyes. “Yeah, but a lot can change in two weeks, especially when I can’t come to see you as often because I’m in Paris.” 

“I’m fine. Akira and Sojiro watch over me like hawks, so I’m not sure if I want a mama bird to accompany them.” The orange haired girl said bluntly. 

Ann gave her a quick hug, releasing her after a short squeeze. “Yeah, well, you’ve got a lot more than just me watching out for you.” 

“Hmm, yeah, I guess so.” 

“You know she’s right, though.” A voice sounded from behind them. The pair turned to see the other two missing members of their group standing in the doorway. 

Makoto Niijima was the same as she’d always been, with a bottom-heavy figure and a strong, toned build. Her hair had been kept short and had stayed relatively stagnant since her high school days, other than the fact that she’d lost her hairband with the braid in it. Piercing red eyes accompanied her changed hair and seemed to stare into the souls of everyone she passed. Having them was a good perk, considering her goal to become the police commissioner. The red-eyed woman was well on her way to that, something that made Ann’s heart swell with pride for her friend. Makoto was stern, but had learned how to become less overbearing and more of a caring friend with time. The girl was a character in her own right, though not in the comical way that her orange-haired underclassman was. 

Haru Okumura, on the other hand, was somewhat opposite. She possessed the same toned build from the gardening she did, and her skin had become just the slightest bit sun-kissed. She was well on her way to starting her own business under the careful instruction of several mentors (one of which, she just so happened to work under), though she was set to inherit a corporation from her father. It was a ...turbulent turn over, to say the least, which resulted in Haru already orchestrating her plan for the future. Her fluffy hair had long since grown out and been put back into a low ponytail every day, paired with jeans and various shirts. She was easily the most modest of the four, but had a tendency to say and do surprising things. 

They were a weird, dysfunctional group of girls, but they’d always gotten along. And honestly, Ann couldn’t have asked for a better group. “I’m assuming our booth is open, right Futaba?” The heiress asked. 

Futaba pushed up her glasses. “Yep! I’ve been here since we opened.” 

“Well, you didn’t have to get up that early. We open at 5 every morning.” Haru frowned. 

Makoto was quick to eye Futaba, who only waved the two of them off and answer Makoto’s oncoming question. “I’ve gotten enough sleep. Don’t worry about it!” 

She bounced off, leaving the three to walk after her. 

The model let her two upperclassman join Futaba before her, hoping to catch the eye of the barista. When she dhd, she winked at the barista, who caught it and winked back.

“Hey, Ann! Stop flirting and get over here!” Futaba called. A high flush rose on Ann’s cheeks as a result, followed by a somewhat sheepish smile.

If only that were the end of it. 

* * *

Somehow, their conversations always found its way into the ladies’ love lives. 

It wasn’t a particularly hard topic to get onto - all of them were relatively open about their own love lives, like Futaba, who’d found love via her school but hadn’t pursued it yet, or Makoto, who’d found someone, or Haru, who’d fallen hard for a guy her parents hated. But Ann? Well, Ann was a mystery, which is why they tried to set her up with every walking thing that moved. 

Well, Futaba did, at least.

Today’s subject was the barista, which was something she’d been dreading. 

The store had a handful of baristas, but among the most popular were Haru, who sat opposite of her, and the one who was currently working. 

From talking to him, Ann knew that his name was Akira, and that he was particularly close to Futaba and her father, who ran the store. She also knew that he also happened to be a really good cook, and that he could make her favorite drink just the way she liked it without her having to ask. He was a good guy, but he also made Ann’s hearts flip in ways she wasn’t sure she was ready for.   
  
She wasn’t sure if she wanted to admit how hard she’d fallen to herself, much less anyone else, but that wasn’t something that Futaba and the others were going to let happen any time soon. If there was even a possibility of love for the model, they were going to pursue it. 

“So, Akira, huh Ann?” Futaba commented, wiggling her eyebrows.   
  
Haru lifted her hand to her face thoughtfully, fingers splaying over her cheek. “He and Ann would look pretty cute together, don’t you think?” 

“And he’s pretty cute himself,” Makoto commented quietly. “Don’t you think so?” 

Ann giggled at her friends. “Well, he is pretty cute, I’ll give you that.” 

It was true. The boy possessed shaggy, black hair that seemed to fall all over his face, further obscuring his eyes, which were already hiding behind a pair of glasses. He looked normal and unassuming, as if he’d sooner pass a class then do something crazy like assault someone. 

The picture of Akira actually assaulting someone made her snort. 

While he looked shy, and could be quiet, he also had a really nice build that Ann took no shame in admiring, especially when he wasn’t looking. 

“This is why you should go after him! Get you some, Ann!” The orange-haired underclassman cheered, stretched out in the booth. Her voice cut through Ann’s thoughts as if she’d read them, startling her into a frenzy. 

“Shh! He might hear you!” She chided, flushing. Her eyes flickered over to him, only to be caught up by his own eyes staring back at her. The blonde flushed and looked away, but gave him a quick smile before she turned back to chastise her friends some more. 

“See? Now he’s looking over here and maybe he’s concerned and oh _ god _ what if he comes over and sees me like this and you tell him?! I can’t flirt like this, Futaba!” 

The jumble of words took a minute to process, but once it had been processed, Futaba only smirked at her. Haru smiled helpfully. “Maybe a bit of cold water on your face would help?” 

Ann sighed and nodded, beginning to move out of the booth. Futaba let her go, and then slid back in, smiling mischievously. “Alright, ladies, place your bets. How long until we can get them to hook up?” 

“I don’t know if we should meddle like that….” Makoto started, apprehensive. Futaba shut her down. 

“Course we should! She’s obviously into that whole frizzy hair thing because I  _ know _ she doesn’t just come to keep you and Dad company, Haru.” 

Haru seemed to nurse the idea as if it were a particularly good cup of coffee, eventually nodding her agreement. “She does like to look at him when she thinks he won’t notice. And now that the shop is expanding…..she doesn’t come in unless we’re  _ both _ working. And Boss does watch the two of them as if he knows something….” 

“See? We’re just speeding the process up, not meddling.” 

Makoto bit her lip. “I...suppose.” 

Futaba smirked. “That’s why we’re going to try and subtly push them towards each other. Subtly. And then bet on it.” 

Makoto’s lips pulled into a line as she stared at the younger girl flatly. “You telling Ann to, quote, ‘go get her some!’ isn’t exactly subtle.” 

“Nah, nah, I don’t mean subtle like that. I mean, don’t arouse his,” she jerked her thumb not so subtly toward Akira, who wasn’t looking, “or her suspicion. As long as they think it’s all a well-meaning joke and you can win bonus points, then it’s fair game.” 

“That is a fair point….” Haru mused. “Well then, what’s our wager?” 

Makoto’s head snapped up. “Haru...you’re really going to agree to this?!” 

The heiress rose an eyebrow. “Of course! What better bet to have than one that betters a close friend’s life?” 

Makoto only stayed silent. She was right. They weren’t doing any harm. “Alright, I guess I’m in.” 

Futaba smirked. “Okay before a wager we do, ground rules. 1. No explicitly setting them up on a date.” She paused, and hearing no objection, she continued. “2. If we feel like we’re forcing either of them into it, the bet’s off.” 

“Agreed.” Makoto nodded. 

“3. If Ann figures you out, you’re disqualified. 4. No teaming. 5. The person to win is the person who’s the closest when guessing how long it takes them to get together. Good?” 

The two nodded. “Let’s place our bets then. I’ll give ‘em….say, a week. Maybe. And I’ll put 25 dollars on it.” 

“I’ll say….two weeks. And I’ll sweeten the pot with 50.” Haru hummed thoughtfully.

Makoto chewed on her lip. “A month, and, er...50 as well.” 

Futaba rose her eyebrows. “Wow, you guys seriously underestimate our matchmaking prowess.” 

Makoto rolled her eyes. “More like you over-estimate them…” She muttered. 

Futaba gasped. “How could you? Oh, how you wound me, Makoto!” The junior was quick to fall over dramatically in her seat, accompanied by a giggle from Haru. Makoto turned her head to hide her smile, too fond of the girl to be annoyed. 

It was then that Ann emerged, glancing over the scene with a fond sigh. “Who insulted Futaba this time?” 

Haru, hiding a giggle and a smile behind her hand, simply pointed a finger at Makoto, who seemed nonchalant about the entire exchange. “She’s full of herself.” 

Futaba let out a muted - and fake - cry of pain from the other side of the table, which curled the corners of Makoto’s lips against her will. 

Ann rolled her eyes, but she was smiling too. “Get up before I sit on you.” 

Futaba did as she was told, meeting Haru and Makoto’s eyes separately and nodding. 

_ “Well, ladies, let the games begin.”  _

* * *

Out of all of the shifts she had, the ones where both Ann and Futaba popped in were Haru’s favorite, second only to when her boyfriend popped in and when the group as a whole got together, including Suzui.

The day after they’d happened to get together was one of the ones where Futaba and Ann popped in. While Futaba was in her corner, writing some paper and living off of caffeine, Ann was relaxing in the same booth, flipping through fashion catalogs and lazily noting things she wanted. 

It was a sleepy, peaceful Wednesday in Leblanc.   
  
However, sleepy and peaceful things never really lasted, which could be frustrating. This time, the atmosphere was broken by Ann’s phone ringing. She took the call calmly, only to get more frazzled as the call went on. The brown-eyed girl was able to catch some of it, but not much, only fragments of what sounded like an emergency. 

Before long, the call was over, but Ann was speeding her way over to the counter. “Haru, do you think you could get me a coffee to go? I’d stay, but there’s this really important shoot that one of the big time models just didn’t show up for, and they want me to fill in, and -” 

“Of course! Go, get your things ready.” The girl nodded, eyes shining with a mixture of concern for the model and pride that her friend had been called in. 

This also meant that she’d be able to test the waters of how close the two were. “Oh, Akira! Can you come here for a moment?” 

“Of course. What’s up?” He asked, waking over to where she was. Haru leaned against the counter, pointed to Ann. “Do you think you can make an extra sugary coffee?” 

“Oh, sure. Why, though?” 

“She needs one of those sugary coffees to go.” Haru said sweetly, smiling at her coworker as she pointed to her friend. He looked at who she was pointing at, and then back at her. “Oh, you mean one of Ann’s coffees? Coming right up.” 

Oh, this was better than she’d thought. They were on a first name basis already? She must really not have paid attention to them when Ann came in. 

“Here, go take it to her. This one’s on me.” The grey-eyed man spoke, tossing a half smirk Haru’s way. 

“Oh, treating the lady to coffee before the first date, are we?” Haru quipped. The barista flushed red, confidence evaporating in an instant now that they weren’t talking about Ann.

“I - uh - wha - um - I!” 

Haru rose an eyebrow at him and giggled, picking up the cup. “Your secret’s safe with me, Akira-kun.” 

He bowed his head, sighing. “I’m hopeless, aren’t I?” 

“I don’t think so. You should probably ask her out sometime soon, though.” The heiress smiled innocently, though what she’d said was anything but innocent. The flush on his cheeks darkened. 

“Haru!” 

She only laughed and headed over to the table where Ann was gathering her things. She looked ready to pay, but Haru set the cup down with a wink. 

“It’s on him.” 

The model flushed red. “Um, tell him I said thank you!” 

“No need. You can tell him when you come next time. Good luck at your shoot~!” 

Ann nodded, gave her a quick, grateful smile, and then ran out. The heiress stood there for a minute, but eventually went back to the register, noting that Akira seemed to be a bit less red, but still pink. 

She really hoped he’d seen Ann’s flush. 

He’d be a fool not to.

* * *

For once, Leblanc was empty and silent, giving Futaba time to savor her coffee this morning. It was rare for the shop to be quiet, and it took the stars aligning for it to be quiet on the mornings where Futaba actually had the time to savor it. 

_ Damn you, morning classes…. _

She sighed, mourning her lack of sleep for a moment as she sipped her coffee. Once the cup had been emptied, however, it was go time. 

_ Mission: Get Ann and Akira Together! _

_ Start! _

If you watched him enough, it was easy to pinpoint how to get Akira where you wanted him. Well, when he was like this, it was. Since he’d fallen for Ann, he’d been so quiet and introverted, but when she was around, Futaba saw scraps of the  _ real _ him, someone devious and cocky, someone who had a soft heart but was mischievous. 

He and Ann just merged too well. 

Anyway, back to the main line of thought. It was easy when he was like this. Easy enough, that with a few comments, Futaba could get him right where she wanted him. She pushed her glasses up on her nose, finally opening her mouth. 

“So, any stories from this week while we’re sitting here in silence?” 

He thought about it for a minute, clearly remembering something, but not telling her. “Not really, no. Not unless you count the elderly.” 

Futaba rose her eyebrows and blinked slowly at him, then rolled her eyes. “Oh come  _ on _ , nothing? No hot guys coming in? No models? No psycho models?” 

A flush rose to his cheeks, as if he knew exactly who the younger girl was talking about. Futaba didn’t doubt that he did - he just wasn’t willing to admit that he had an interesting story about the girl that she constantly teased him about. “There’s always hot people coming in, Futaba.” 

“Oh, yeah?” 

“You spend just as much time in here as I do. You should know this.” The barista said, frowning at her. The hacker rolled her eyes in response. 

“Mhm. So there was one hotter than your favorite, then?” 

He was pointedly looking away from her now, poker face slipping. “My favorite?” Akira echoed. 

“You don’t have one?” Futaba asked.

He shook his head. “No, I don’t think so.” 

_ Hook, line, and sinker!  _ She thought, barely hiding a smirk. 

“Oh, yeah? Not even Ann?” 

The question was innocent, but hit him like a bullet. He froze for a minute, as if time had stopped, but before he knew it, time was rolling again and he was tripping over himself, both literally and metaphorically. The younger of the two cackled, watching him stumble for a minute until he righted himself. 

“Um, uh, she’s….uh, more like a friend, I guess? And stop laughing!” 

“What makes her so different?” She pressed. 

He chewed on that for a minute before he answered, much to Futaba’s pleasure. “Well, she’s drop dead gorgeous,” He’d been planning on stopping there, but that made his feelings so incredibly shallow, when they really ran deep. “Sure, that’s a good thing, but I don’t know how to do her justice. She’s incredibly sweet… she’s never even thought about treating Boss, or Haru, or me like servants instead of people. And she helped you out of your shell, and her sense of humor is just so... good. And she’s always so willing to help out.” 

Though he tried to conceal it, his tone seemed to scream affection. The bespeckled girl blinked again. She knew it was a crush, but she didn’t know it was that bad. 

Maybe it was a good thing that she’d stuck her nose in this after all. A grin rose to her lips. “Man, you really do have it bad for her, huh?” 

The barista sighed through his nose, knowing that his effort to convey his feelings without seeming shallow had just turned into a rant about how hard he’d fallen. “Yeah, yeah I do.” 

“That’s alright.” Futaba winked. “Who knows? One of you might just make a move soon.” 

He hummed. “Maybe. Not putting any money on it, though.” 

Futaba was suddenly very happy with her decision to put money on it. 

* * *

While Haru and Futaba had the upper hand with Akira, Makoto was arguably the one that spent the most time with Ann outside of Leblanc. 

For example, the occasions when they went to the gym together. They were on day 3 since their bet, and so far, nothing had happened, which was good for Makoto. She was perfectly content for it to take a month, or as much time as it needed to before they got together. 

But, she did need to do her part. She was sure that Haru and Futaba had already grilled Akira to death, and while she wasn’t exactly promoting that, she wasn’t one to fall behind in a competition. 

She looked to the two girls that were with her, wondering how exactly she was going to go about this. Currently, Shiho was attacking the punching bag she was holding with a measured ferocity, dressed in a tank top and long sweatpants. Her hair had been pulled back, which was good for both her and Makoto. It was good for her because it helped reduce the heat she was inevitably becoming a victim to, and good for Makoto because it allowed her to note when the ex- volleyball player was pushing herself too hard. 

Ann, on the other hand, had nothing more than a black sports bra and an identically patterned pair of high waisted, black shorts on. Currently, she was running, but soon enough, it would be her turn with the bag. Her hair had been pulled back in almost the exact same way Shiho’s had, which was both cute and something Makoto found herself a little jealous of. 

A grunt from Shiho drew her attention back to her, and upon taking a look at her face, Makoto called for a break. 

Ann was quick to join the two of them, even though Shiho looked a bit sad that she had to stop for now.  
  
“Going good so far?” The blonde asked, smiling at them. The brown-eyed girl nodded, uncapping her water bottle. She seemed to relax as the water slid down her throat, which set a small part of Makoto at ease. Ann uncapped her own, humming to herself. Makoto eyed her, wondering how to start a conversation. 

Shiho ended up being her savior.   
  
“Ew, you’re still drinking that?” 

Ann frowned at her, swallowing her drink. “What do you mean? It’s just water with cucumber and mint.” 

“That’s the point! It’s gross!” The ravenette argued, tone taking on that of a small child. She had leverage over Ann, as she was sitting on a bench and Ann was on the floor, but she somehow seemed smaller and younger. 

“It’s still good for me, gross or not. There’s a reason this skin is flawless.” Ann laughed, sitting on the floor next to next to Makoto, who smiled with thinly veiled amusement. “And it’s not my fault you were the one who got mint up your nose because you tried to drink it while hanging upside down.”

At that, Makoto laughed, prompting Ann to burst into a flurry of giggles at Shiho’s expense. Said girl huffed, but she was smiling too. 

“Okay, if you’re going to harass me, then I’ll have to change the topic,” The other half of the conversation started. “Let’s talk about our love lives.” 

Ann groaned at the change, stretching out on the floor. “Why is it that you always want to talk about love?” 

“Because!” The girl pouted. “I’m getting older, and I need to be a maid of honor before I’m all wrinkly. Plus, you really need a boyfriend, Ann~!” 

The blonde groaned, but this was Makoto’s chance, and she wasn’t going to pass it up. “Hmm, for once, I’m inclined to agree.” 

Ann’s head snapped to look at her, and Shiho rose her eyebrows, a victorious smile settling onto her lips. “You too, Makoto?” 

“Well, I can’t say I’m dying to be in a wedding like Suzui, I do think that you’d benefit from having a significant other.” She said carefully. 

Ann squinted at her, but before either of them could question it, Shiho was on Ann. “See? She thinks so too! So you should totally spill.” 

“Well, I - I don’t like anyone.” She lied, blotchy splashes of pink coming to her cheeks. 

“Yeah, you do. She’s totally lying, right Makoto?” 

“Sorry, Ann, but you’re really bad at lying.” The brunette conceded, nodding along. 

“Well, uh. Um….” The blonde was clearly looking for an excuse, but conceded her defeat once she realized she didn’t have one. This was going to be the day when they finally got it out of her, as much as she didn’t want to admit it. “Okay, you got me. It’s…. that barista that Haru works with.” 

“Oh, you mean Akira?” Shiho asked. Ann’s mouth fell open. 

“You’ve only been to Leblanc like, twice with me! How do  _ you  _ know him?” 

The ravenette smirked. “I’m good with names. And no one said that I don’t go alone!” 

Ann fell silent, then, frowning to herself. “I don’t think I have a shot at anything good, anyway, so….” 

A flash of annoyance went through Makoto’s system. “You’ve got to be kidding.” 

“No, I’m not! He’s probably more into the academic type, or the nerdy type like you and Futaba.” Ann said, uncapping her water. She took a long drink, waiting for a response. 

Makoto rolled her eyes so hard that she determined that they must have gone back into her skull. “Oh  _ please. _ You’ve only got to be in a room with him for two seconds to notice the eyes he makes at you.” 

Shiho nodded along. “Yep! There was obvious attraction when you took me the last time. And that was like...two months ago? So he’s probably on the verge of giving you his number or something.” 

Ann choked. “W-What?! Why don’t you guys point these things out?!” 

“Well, we pointed it out Tuesday morning when we all met up for coffee.” Makoto reminded her, sighing softly. 

Shiho, had she been standing, probably would have been bouncing on the balls of her feet, but as it was, she just bounced in her seat a little. “Soooo, you’re going to get his number, right?” 

“I - I don’t know.” 

“Well, I do, and I’m saying that you should totally shoot your shot! I mean, there are a lot of people that come through there every day, you know?” 

Ann seemed to think about that for a minute before she nodded thoughtfully. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” 

She said this as if it would be easy enough to do what Shiho had said, but if Makoto squinted just a little, she could see through the cracks in her tone. She was…. nervous? Scared? Of course,  _ anyone _ would be nervous when pursuing a romantic interest. But something about this seemed incredibly wrong to Makoto, made her heart heavy for the girl. 

But she didn’t know what. Just as she opened her mouth, Shiho took her eyes off of Ann and spoke again, effectively silencing her. 

“Good. Now, how’s your love life, Makoto?” Shiho turned to her with what she could only describe as a shit-eating grin, instilling a bit of fear in her. 

“I don’t know if we should talk about me -” 

Ann turned to her, that same shit-eating grin on her face. “No, no! Makoto, tell us!” 

And just like that, Makoto was regretting her decision to take this bet in the first place.

* * *

Sometimes, Ann loved her friends, but sometimes they embarrassed her so much that she wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear.

Take today, for example. After their little episode with Makoto, Shiho had  _ insisted _ on going to that same shop the next day, as much as Ann weakly protested. She managed to worm her way into an agreement with the blonde, however, telling her that she wouldn’t do anything to give her best friend away. 

That didn’t mean she couldn’t catch hell from Shiho, however. 

“Oh, you’d be so cute with him, Ann!” 

“Shiho! Stop!” She whined, hiding her reddening face. The ravenette smirked, catlike. 

“Why? It’s not like you’re not going to ask him out, right?” 

“I - I don’t know….it’s not that I don’t want to but I’m just….” Ann suddenly became unsure of herself, torn between saying what she felt and happily bantering with her best friend - not entirely sure if she should say something or just shut her mouth. 

Shiho watched her over the rim of her cup, brown eyes searching her face for something only she’d have seen. 

“You’re scared?” 

Ann opened her mouth, and then closed it, eyes looking off to the side and not at her friend. She held her breath for a minute, but then nodded slowly. Shiho gave a short hum, glancing over to the barista. 

He was studying Ann with something like concern, and just a tad of trepidation. He looked like he was torn between saying something and yet nothing at all - like he didn’t know where they stood, not really. 

Haru, however, caught her eye with a nod in Ann’s direction. Shiho glanced to her friend, noting that she’d started to tap the table, something that was a clear sign that this was getting to her. Guilt welled up within the ex-volleyball player, but was trumped by an overwhelming sense that this needed to happen. She and Ann needed to have this talk. “I’ll be back.” 

“Shiho, don’t -” 

“Ann, you’re not ready to make a move, so I wouldn’t make you. But we need to have a talk and you know it.” The girl said, putting her foot down. Ann held her tongue for a minute, mind at work. She was right. Ann needed to explode. 

The model nodded slowly. “Okay.” 

Infused with energy, Shiho marched up to the counter, meeting with a worried Haru. “Is she alright?” 

“She’s….” Shiho searched for the word. “I don’t know how to make it make sense. But she’s on a different wavelength entirely right now, and I’m going to get to the bottom of it. I want to know why.” 

Haru turned the thought over in her head for a minute, eyes moving back between the ravenette and her best friend. “You’re right. She’s going along with our teasing, but she’s….” 

“....not all there? I know.”

Haru paused. “You don’t think….it’s because of our teasing, do you?” 

“No.” Shiho shook her head. “Ann’s having an Ann moment. I’ll give her a coffee and a stern talking to, and she’ll be good. There’s nothing to worry about, promise.” 

“I guess that means you need two to go, then?” 

Shiho nodded. “Mhm. I’ll pay.” 

“No need.” Akira cut in, already sliding Ann’s favorite blend and a piece of cake across the counter. The cake was in a takeout container, which she didn’t think they had for cakes. Shiho met his eyes as Haru slipped away to make her drink. “All of it’s on the house.” 

“Thank you.” She smiled. “I didn’t know you guys served sweets, though….” The 

He placed a hand on the box that held the cake. “We don’t. I made it myself.” 

“You didn’t have to do that.” Shiho commented, smiling slyly. “But I’m sure it’ll win you a few more brownie points when you ask her out, huh?” 

The barista’s hands flinched back, a little panicked. “That’s not -” 

The volleyball player rolled her eyes. “Not what I mean. You’re a good guy, Akira. Just…” Shiho looked back to her best friend, who’s eyes were anywhere but her. “...she’ll come around. She’s just a little...mm...worried.” 

“Can I help in any way?” The offer was slipping from his lips before either of them had registered it, but after a beat of silence, Shiho shook her head as Haru came back with her coffee. 

“When you’re married, maybe.” 

That spawned a giggle from Haru, and an extremely red face from Akira. “That’s -” 

She waved off his concern with confidence she wouldn’t have thought possible years ago. “Oh, I’m only teasing. Thank you guys for the coffee! I’ll be back sooner or later with a much cheerier blonde.” 

“Good luck!” Haru called, waving sweetly. Shiho turned and gave her a wink, and then she approached the table. Ann’s eyes finally looked to her, and she inclined her head to point at the door, a gesture that the model was familiar with. 

With a small smile to Akira and Haru, she was out the door. 

* * *

It took all of five minutes of Shiho guiding Ann down the busy street for them to arrive at the park. 

The place itself was large and busy at this time of day. It was a weekday, meaning that it was packed, but that wasn’t something Shiho minded. She knew where she needed to go, knew what would help her and Ann both. 

The blonde followed behind her, alternating between being stuck in her own thoughts and having two feet on the ground. If it were anyone else, it wouldn’t have concerned her as much, but this was Ann. 

This was fire in her eyes, confident, going to be the number one model for  _ her _ sake, Ann. 

Shiho clenched into her jaw, face set into a hard line. She led her blonde friend into the woods around the park, going down and down until she had found her spot. 

It was a small cliff, which overlooked a creek at the bottom. It was quiet and spacious, and, most importantly, unoccupied. 

“Sit.” Shiho commanded, doing the same herself. 

Ann sat wordlessly, holding back so much. Too much. Shiho took her own coffee and handed Ann hers, taking a sip as she looked out over the creek, which moved gently, reminding her that time was passing. 

“Talk to me.” 

From the corner of her mouth, she watched Ann open her mouth and then close it again, finally shaking her head. “I can’t.” 

The words were a strangled whisper, and it took all of Shiho’s will not to hug her. She looked to the sky. “Why not?” 

“Well I’m supposed to be your rock, right? So I can’t be like this.” The blonde sniffled, tone miserable. 

“Rocks have cracks. We wouldn’t find crystals in geodes if we didn’t crack them open, either.” Shiho shot back, keeping her voice level. “And just because you’re my rock doesn’t mean you can’t have issues, too. Friendships are a two way street.” 

Ann opened her mouth, and then closed it again, mulling that concept over. “But it’s stupid.” 

Shiho glanced over to her. “Ann, look at me.” The blonde cautiously lifted her eyes to her friend’s. “I am not here to judge what damn problems you have. I’m here to help. Plus, it can’t be stupid if it’s bothering you. So stop stalling and say what you’re really thinking.” 

Shiho’s brazen nature was something that would take anyone else aback, but it was safe, for Ann. It was reassurance that someone was there. “I’m just worried, that’s all.” 

“About?” 

Her tongue tied in knots as she thought about it, and her throat threatened to close completely, but she fought through it. “What if he just likes me for my looks or something? Assuming he likes me, I mean.” 

“Ann -” 

She shook her head. “Just - just let me explain.” The tears were coming, now, sliding down her face wet and hot and fast, because she’d realized in the back of her head that this might have been a possibility, but hadn’t confronted it until now. Falling for someone was all peaches and cream until she actually thought about what might happen if she pursued her feelings. “I kept thinking about it. Like what if he gets with me just because I’m pretty and I’m a model, but in three months, the charm wears off and he breaks up with me? Right? And what if I fall in love with him during that time? That’ll kill me.” 

Shiho nodded, suddenly understanding. “You’re worried he’s going to be like your mom and dad.” 

Ann looked down. “They didn’t do anything wrong. They tried their best.” 

The other girl scoffed, looking back out to the creek. “If trying their best results in leaving their only daughter with abandonment issues, I’d say their best is pretty shit.” 

The model winced. “That’s a little harsh.” 

“Maybe. Maybe not. Look, my point is that he’s not invested in you because of your looks.” 

“You can’t know that.” 

“No, maybe I can’t. I’ll give you that one.” Shiho took another swig of her coffee. “But, I can tell you what I see. I see a boy that’s fallen head over heels for you, and I see a girl who’s scared to take the next step in life. You’re terrified he’s going to leave, just like your parents did, and just like I did.” 

“But you didn’t -” 

“Ann, stop justifying these things to yourself!” The ex-volleyball player exclaimed, actually raising her voice a hair. “I left, your parents left, and you’re scared he’s going to leave you too. But the thing is that we’re all going to leave someday. Did you ever,  _ ever _ hesitate to become friends with me, knowing that some day, somehow, there was a chance I might have committed suicide?” 

The model’s breathing was shaky, at best, but at the last comment she sucked in a breath. “No.” 

“So what’s different here? Why run away from him, from what you want?” 

“I don’t want to get hurt again.” Ann started, breathing starting to get more stable as she forged ahead. “But I can’t stay in my own little world forever. And I can’t keep him waiting forever, either, because he’s waiting, isn’t he?” 

Shiho nodded, not needing to speak any further. There was Ann, back on that same wavelength she was on. 

“I’m more than just a pretty face.” She continued. “And if he can’t see past that, he’s not the one. Cause at the end of the day, I’ve got to go through those losses. I’ll never grow if I don’t. It’s not fair to him to assume he’s going to leave, even if I want to run. Running is the coward's way out. Even if I’m still scared, that’s okay, because I can just cry about it at home and then treat myself to a crepe or two!” 

“Or three.” The brown-eyed girl interjected, lips quirking.

“Yeah.” Ann was silent for a moment, but she looked to her friend, and in that moment, her fire came back to her. 

“Better?” Shiho asked. Ann shut her eyes. “Lots. I mean, like, you weren’t the cure-all, but it does help a lot. So…. thanks, Shiho.” 

Shiho let out a small hum in response and sooner rather than later, they had lapsed into silence. Unlike their previous silence, this was comfortable, not strained. They took sips of their coffee, though the cake was still at ravenette’s side. 

She looked down to it and then slid it to Ann. “What’s that?” The blonde asked. Shiho’s lips quirked. 

“Just open it.” 

Ann did, gasping and unwrapping the fork inside faster than Shiho thought humanly possible. The blonde groaned as the sweet flavor hit her tongue, forcing her friend to smirk into her coffee cup, eyes fixed on the creek. She couldn’t explain it, but something about it helped her clear her head. 

The blue-eyed girl swallowed her bite before speaking, a habit she’d grown into at Makoto’s insistence. “That’s so good! Who made it? Where’d you get it from?” 

Her smirk threatened to split her face. “Akira made it for you.” 

A scarlet blush bloomed on the model’s cheeks. “Really?” 

“Mhm.” 

Ann took a sip of her coffee, noting that the cake and coffee went hand in hand. The girl smiled to no one but herself, heart singing a little happy tune. 

Of course, she hadn’t noticed that Shiho was looking at her until it was too late. She met her best friend’s eyes and then looked away, even more embarrassed. The brown-eyed female only fixed her eyes back on the creek, silent. 

Ann took another couple of bites, sighing softly to herself. 

“I’d say a man that can bake a good cake is worth marrying, don’t you think?” 

The cake in Ann’s throat suddenly lodged there as her eyes went wide, prompting her to choke a little and to start coughing.   
  
With the aid of some coffee, the cake dislodged itself from her throat, but it was too late. Shiho was already laughing. 

And this time, Ann let herself look at her best friend and laugh, too. 

* * *

Monday mornings usually hated Ann Takamaki, and Ann Takamaki usually hated Monday mornings.   
  
This morning, however, was different. She had a mission, and she’d gotten up and gone through a rigorous beauty routine. A part of her heart twisted, wondering if this negated what she’d said yesterday, but if she was going to perform her best, she had to look her best, too. 

Ann stood at her mirror, wrapped in a towel. She studied herself, holding different shirts up to her body. 

All of them were earthy, jewel tones, which she supposed looked fine, but they weren’t her. They didn’t scream Ann. All of them weren’t baggy, but they were flowy. Elegant. Regal. That was what she wanted, but…..she sighed, setting the various tops down. 

It just wouldn’t work. She played with the end of her hair for a minute, idly inspecting herself. 

_ Well, my face looks extra clear, and there’s no weird lumps or pimples, and my hair as silky as - wait.  _

Her hair. A triumphant smile formed on her face. 

Maybe it wasn’t her shirt that had to be flowing.

* * *

Monday mornings were always a drag. 

Not that Akira didn’t like working, mind you, but he wasn’t a fan of the fact that everyone was so uppity and cranky because they had to go to work. He understood the feeling - Sundays where he didn’t have classes or work were really nice and it always sucked when he had to give up the embrace of his bed. 

A long sigh came from the cash register, and he vaguely noted that Haru was calmly having to explain something to yet another entitled customer. The boy winced a little in sympathy, having had to deal with that last Monday. It  _ sucked. _

There was one saving grace, though. Well, two. One, Futaba was always free on Mondays, and always came by to help with the morning rush. Even if she wasn’t the best at customer service, Boss had taught her how to brew a mean cup of coffee. Two, Ann always came in on Monday mornings.   
  
Thinking about her made his pulse speed up and flutter, but he continued working, remembering what blends to use where. 

It didn’t take long for the three to get through the morning rush - even if did make it easier on himself by thinking about the blonde model every now and then. Futaba stretched and sighed, causing a train reaction, as Haru sighed too. “The morning rush is finally over….” 

“Yep! It lasted a little longer today though. I got a lot of XP from that!” Futaba responded, pushing up her glasses. “Shouldn’t Ann be here already, though? I need someone to harass that’s not you and Akira.” 

A small, amused smile came to the older girl’s face. “Why’s that?”

“Cause you guys get used to it after like….20 minutes. It’s less fun.” The short, orange-haired girl responded. 

Akira gave a noncommittal hum in response, staring at the door. Yeah, now that she mentioned it, where was Ann, exactly? She was usually already sitting at the bar with her coffee by now. 

As if on cue, the shop’s door swung open, and Ann herself strode in, walk confident and absolutely fearless. 

Time seemed to pause when their eyes met, the electricity between them completely unaffected by the sunglasses she was wearing. Ann was always jaw-droppingly beautiful, but today she was absolutely gorgeous. 

Her hair was down and seemed to float on the air around her naturally, and she wore a red top that Akira suspected would have been a crop top, if not for her high-waisted shorts. The top itself had a high collar and no sleeves. As if that weren’t enough to compliment her, it had a heart shape cut out of it in the bust area, accentuating her curves. And the color….it was such a beautiful, garnet red that it made her glow. And all of that wasn’t even counting the jean shorts, or the black, sandal heels and golden jewelry. 

_ Hot damn, Ann. _ He thought, unable to block the thought before it cropped up. As if she knew exactly what he was thinking, she smiled at him, garnet lips matching the shade of her shirt. “Morning, everyone!” 

“Ann!” Futaba cheered, racing around to hug her. The model smiled, hugging her. That in itself was quite the feat, as Futaba wasn’t very tall already, and Ann was even taller in heels. 

“You look better today.” Haru commented, smiling at her two friends. 

The model shrugged. “I just needed a pep talk. Anyway, can you make my usual, Haru? To go, please.” 

“I’ve got it.” Akira said, taking a step back. Ann had other plans, however, and wasn’t afraid to let her voice stop him. 

“Not you. Come here.” She beckoned him over to the bar, and suddenly Akira was very thankful that the morning rush had already come and gone. The model took a seat, shaking her hair out and then leaning forward to look at him. 

“Well hey there, you.” 

Akira’s heart fluttered in his toes. “Well hey yourself.”

Ann tucked her hair behind her ear, and suddenly it struck Akira that this was not going to be a normal interaction between them. This was going to be far from the easy teasing that they’d fallen into. “You’re so much more confident when you’re around me. Why is that, I wonder?” 

Oh, she definitely wasn’t beating around the bush. A smirk came to him, one that he hadn’t donned since high school. “Hm, maybe it’s you.” 

If she was surprised by the change in attitude, she didn’t show it at all, instead just leaning forward again. “It looks good on you. Maybe everyone ought to see it more often.” 

“How so?” 

“If you give me your hand, maybe you’ll find out.” She winked. He blinked at her, confused by this, but extended his hand to her. It was incredibly hard to read Ann sometimes, and evidently, reading her while she was in a confident and flirty mood was damn near impossible. 

She pulled a pen from her pocket, and then grabbed his hand, soft and slender against the callouses and thick skin on his own. She hummed and wrote something on the back of his hand, smiling as she finished it with a little heart. 

“Now, if you’re ever feeling like you want a little more of me in your life, call that number. Maybe we can go out sometime.” 

His pulse sped up even further. “Are you…..are you asking me on a  _ date _ , Ann?” 

“Depends, do you want it to be a date?” 

Yes. God, yes. He wanted it to be a date. Was that even a question? That couldn’t be a question she had just asked him. This was all some fantasy he was having, because it was probably still rush hour. 

“With you? Hell yes.” 

A pleased expression crossed her face. “Then I guess we’ll have ourselves a little date. You’ll text me to work out the details, right?” 

“Right.” The word came out in a singular breath - and she must not have been as excited about this as he was, because she only smiled and squeezed his hand, dropping it completely. Haru was ready at the cash register with her order, and Ann flashed a blinding smile in the direction of the girls, picked up her coffee, and then, with a casual “see you later!” followed by a wave, she was headed in the direction of the door. 

The girls had waved to her, but Akira’s hand only went up weakly, still shaken. It was like she’d sent him into system override mode, and he was Akira. Girls didn’t…do that to him. 

Well, at least not the ones starting with Ann and ending with Takamaki.

Just as soon as she’d come in, she was out the door with that infectious smile of hers, hair seeming to float behind her as she walked. Akira looked down to his hand, still pink in the face and attempting to process the hurricane that was Ann Takamaki. 

“Akira? What happened?” Haru and Futaba were looking towards him quizzically, but it took him a minute to process the question, systems still backed-up and waterlogged. Finally he turned towards them with a dopey smile on his face, still in shock. 

“I think Ann Takamaki just asked me out.” 

* * *

“Well, someone’s happy today.” 

Ann smiled at her group of friends as she slid down into their booth, grin threatening to split her face in two. “Well, I just so happen to be a morning person.” 

It had been an entire two weeks since she’d first met with them after getting back from her trip to Paris, something that seemed somehow unreal but also right, somehow, as if it would have been wrong otherwise. 

“And I just so happen to be a mafia crime boss,” Makoto retorted, staring at her friend with amusement. “What are you really happy about?”

Ann pursed her lips, poorly attempting to cover her smile, before she finally broke out of excitement. “Okay, okay, I’ll tell you guys, but you have to promise not to freak out.” 

“Promise.” The three responded. 

“Okay, okay, so…..Akira and I may or may not be dating.” 

One by one, their eyes lit up as they realized what that meant. For Haru and Futaba, it meant that the date they’d gone on was a success and they were a couple now, whereas for Makoto, it meant knowing that there was even a date in the first place. “No way!” Futaba exclaimed quietly, leaning in. “How long, how long?” 

“Um….last week, I think? It was last Thursday.” 

“YES!” Futaba cheered. “Pay up, ladies!” 

Makoto sighed and took out her wallet, and Haru did the same, only she smiled instead of sighed. Each of them slid a 50 dollar bill her way, having come prepared. 

Ann glanced between them, and especially at Futaba, who looked like that cat that had just ate the canary. “Uh….do I want to know?” 

“Well, we had an….er….” The red-eyed girl was the one to start the statement, but found herself unable to admit it. 

“A bet. We had a bet to see when you and Akira would get together.” Futaba hummed happily. “I was right.” 

If she was supposed to get offended by that, Ann clearly didn’t, only raising an eyebrow. “Oh yeah? What were the bets?” 

“Futaba had a week, I said two, and Makoto said a month.” The brown-eyed girl explained, smiling. “If you’d gone on that date on Saturday, I’d have won.” 

“Oh, I’m sorry Haru.” Ann apologized. 

From beside her, Futaba slapped her arm with the money she’d just gotten. “Don’t apologize! Did you not want me to win?” 

The model shrugged. “I mean, you’re too powerful. So...no?” 

“Rude!” Futaba clucked, distracting them all as they descended into giggles. 

“Do you have room for two more?” A familiar voice asked. The girls looked over to see Akira and Shiho standing outside the booth, the latter grinning at them. 

“Of course!” The blue-eyed girl said cheerfully, scooting further in so that Akira could sit next to her. Shiho slipped in beside Haru and Makoto, waving at them. 

“So, what are we talking about?” 

“Oh, well,” The heiress giggled. “Futaba won our bet, and Ann apologized for it.” 

“Your bet?” Shiho inquired. 

“We sort of bet on when Akira and Ann would get together.” Futaba explained, making the two next to her flush. 

“Ugh, wait, I take it back, now they’ll do gross stuff in front of me.” 

“No we won’t,” Akira stated, rolling his eyes. His arm had already snaked it’s way around Ann’s waist, which was something she seemed happy with. 

“Mhm, and I won’t go buy video games with the money I just got.” Futaba retorted, completely unimpressed. 

“It doesn’t really matter who won, though. We all helped in our own small way.” Makoto reminded them. 

Shiho nodded. “Yeah, but I helped the most, and I’m the best, so  _ I  _ win.” She said. That statement hung in the air for a beat, but was quickly followed with, “Nah, just kidding. I wouldn’t have known if Makoto hadn’t said anything.” 

“I wouldn’t have agreed if you two hadn’t talked me into it.” Makoto admitted. 

“I think that’s a useless conversation.” The only male at the table interjected. 

“Well, in any case, this makes me look like an angel! Because unlike these three, I didn’t have any ulterior motive.” Shiho pointed out, smirking. Akira shook his head. 

Ann lifted her coffee mug to her lips, smiling behind it as she all but melted into Akira’s side, who was more than happy at the public attention. “Mm, but you would have taken the bet if you had been here.” 

Shiho let out a huff. “Well, it’s true but that’s not what happened!” 

He laughed. “You guys are more ballsy than I am. I don’t think I could have placed money on that.” 

“Knowing you, you’d probably try to time it exactly so that all of us would lose our money.” Makoto commented, not at all displeased that she’d had to fork over money to Futaba. 

“This is true,” he hummed. “Hey, Futaba, are you going to share your winnings?” 

“Nope. And next time, I’ll be taking your money too, and buying a new game with it!” She declared.

“Can you even reach my pockets to steal my cash, Futaba?” Akira started. The girls, one by one, turned to look at Futaba. 

“Hmm, now that you mention it, she is awfully short.” 

“Yeah, I guess so.” 

“Come to think of it, how do you drive?” 

“Nooo!” Futaba whined. “Curse you all.” 

The group shared a collective laugh, leaving Ann warm and fuzzy. 

She couldn’t have asked for a better moment than this. 

**Author's Note:**

> I told you guys I was releasing close to midnight!   
> Ah...this fic....I honestly was not expecting to love this one as much as I did, but once I started working on it I didn't stop building the world around the two, and that evolved into studying Ann's experiences and her relationships with her friends, all in the effort to help her get her man.   
> I definitely wanted to address Ann's abandonment issues with this one, though. Even if she says she understands her parents, having two absent parents is bound to cause some psychological damage for to a kid, and it can be even worse when you're a developing teenager who's questioning everything.   
> I do feel like this is one of my best pieces in a while, even if it is really long (and I'm sorry for that!)   
> Sweets is nowhere near as long, though. I think it's only about 2k.   
> Anyway, please let me know what you guys think! And thank you as always for reading! Any reviews, kudos, comments, bookmarks, favorites, or anything else you can leave to let me know I'm on the right track are highly appreciated! Especially reviews! Don't be shy!


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